BIS 111: Introduction to Information Systems

BIS 111 will be offered as an on-line course during the second Summer Session from June 30th to Aug 7th, 2025.

Text

We have a custom e-text for this course.

Title: Pearson Collections BIS 111 Lehigh University

You can purchase this e-text (~$88.34) via the link provided here.

The text is organized as follows:
Ch. 1-9: these chapters are the theory chapters.
Ch. 10-12: these chapters cover the Excel homework material.
Ch. 13-16: these chapters cover the Access homework material.

Key Technology Requirements

· A PC rather than a Mac is highly recommended for this course as we use the PC version of the application software (Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access) taught in this class, as is typical in industry. All instructions in the book are provided for the PC version of the software. Even if you have the latest version of Excel on your Mac, it is not the same. In addition, there is no Access software available for the Mac. Technology options for Mac users are provided at the end of this document.

· Minimum System Requirements – this link provides the recommendations for your computer.
Browser: Chrome/Firefox, Connection speed: High speed internet connection is highly recommended. Your computer should include a webcam and speaker.

· A reliable and stable high-speed internet connection is required. As we may need to be online at any point in the course, everything depends on your computer and appropriate technologies working properly throughout the course. Please have everything set up and ready to go when the course begins.

· Software (PC version) used in this course: Microsoft Excel 2021, Microsoft Access 2021

· We use Zoom for office hours. You will need to set up a Zoom account to sign in as an authenticated user (sign up at https://lehigh.zoom.us/) to join office hours.

Brief Course Description

This course examines the fundamental role of information systems in supporting and managing business functions and enabling firms to compete effectively. Both the technical and managerial aspects of information systems are introduced. The course integrates technical infrastructure, database concepts, management decision-making, and business process issues critical to the understanding of operational and strategic information systems. It introduces business applications that support accounting, finance, supply chain management, and marketing.

Technological advances and market forces are driving demand for data skills. A case can be made that every student should develop these skills to be competitive in their work environment. This involves computational and data-oriented thinking and understanding how to use technology tools to solve business problems.

General Information

Course material can be accessed over the web via Course Site (CS) once the course begins. There are two major components to the course. One part is the Information Systems (IS) theory, and the other part is learning how to solve business problems using tools such as Microsoft Excel and Access. There are a significant number of lengthy homework exercises involving Excel and Access. Assignments will be submitted electronically via CS. Exams will also be administered via CS using a proctoring service. There are two exams in the course and students pay about $12.50 for each exam directly to the proctoring service.

The course does not require students to meet online at a specific time each week. However, there are a number of course interactions each week, involving both individual (e.g. assignments) and group (e.g. class discussions) work. Students can view lectures and readings online on Course Site, and complete assigned work each week, at their convenience. As long as you interact in the course as required, complete the work, and meet deadlines, you have flexibility in terms of when you actually do the work within the guidelines provided. Please note that you are required to take exams within a limited time period on the specified day and it is expected you are able to do so.

Given the compressed six-week session of the summer course, you have to manage your time well to stay on top of things and complete the course successfully. If you have other commitments during the summer, you should seriously consider how much time you have to spend on the course before making the decision to enroll in the class. Students should be aware that there is both individual work (e.g. Excel, Access exercises) and group work (e.g. discussion forums) in the course. Deliverables are typically due every couple of days. Students will communicate with the instructor and classmates via Course Site (http://coursesite.lehigh.edu/) and using email.

This course is ideal for those students wishing to alleviate course-scheduling problems, or to accelerate their coursework. The flexibility of this course allows the student to continue their studies regardless of location so long as they have access to the appropriate technologies and have/make time for their work, including the group activities.

The Warning Label:

BIS 111 is intense and very hands-on (you learn by doing!) with a significant number of assignments and homework. The 14-week course material has been compressed into 5-6 weeks.  Do not take the course thinking that because it is on-line, it is less demanding than the fall/spring version. The course is self-paced in that, within the framework provided, you decide when to review the course material, when to do your homework, and when, within some time limits, to take your exams. This self-paced method is a big plus if you are disciplined and have the time, but it can be disastrous if this is not the case. Please be realistic in determining if you have the time to devote to this class, particularly if you will be working a job and taking this class.

Technology - PC Users

I would recommend that you use Microsoft Office locally from your computer to run Excel and Access. If you have a PC and don’t have Microsoft Office or the current version on your machine, you can download the required software.
Follow this link to download and install Office 365 to get Microsoft Office applications on your computer.

Please note this download is different to accessing Office 365 via the cloud where you log into Microsoft Online and just use the cloud versions of the software. The cloud versions do NOT have the full functionality of all the features of Office 2016. Make sure you have both applications (Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access) downloaded and installed on your computer for the course. You should have this set up and tested before class begins. If you have any difficulty, the fastest way to get assistance is to submit a help ticket at https://www.lehigh.edu/help. You can also call the Lehigh Helpdesk (610.758.HELP) for assistance.

Technology - Mac Users

For Mac users, you can use LUapps powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). This will give you access to a virtual computer and the use of Windows based PC software from your Mac using Amazon's cloud platform. Mac users can then use Windows version of Excel and Access on their computers. The version of Excel on Macs is different from the PC version, and there is no Access (database application) for Macs.

To get to the virtual desktop, use this link: LUapps Lehigh Virtual Labs. Now, on the LUapps Lehigh Virtual Labs page, scroll down and click on MS Office under Alphabetical list of applications. You will now be asked to login with your Lehigh credentials. The initial login with your Lehigh credentials may take up to a couple of minutes but subsequent logins are typically faster. Once logged in, your screen will look like this with the applications we need (Excel, Access) on the desktop:

It is highly recommended that you save all your work to the H: drive. Files saved to the C drive will be lost. Remember, this is a virtual PC and you must save to a permanent location as you do your work to be able to access it again later.

About the H: drive: The H: drive is accessible from anywhere on or off campus for all Lehigh students. It provides a secure repository for your work and is backed up regularly. Files can be easily downloaded/uploaded from/to CS as you start working on Excel and Access assignments. The files provided on CS for assignments can be downloaded to your H: drive in order to work on them. Once completed, the files can be uploaded from here to CS by the submission deadlines.

To see/access your H: drive, click on the File Explorer icon on the desktop and find your user ID following by the H: as shown below for my H: drive.

The right side of your screen may look quite different to mine as I have several of my folders and files here. It may be a good idea to create a BIS 111 folder in your H: drive and store all our class files here. You can do so by going to the right side of your screen, right click your mouse, and go to New>Folder and then providing a name for your folder. It is important to download and have your class files on the H: drive BEFORE you begin your homework so that your work saves correctly to the H: drive.

To download and upload class files from/to your H: drive, launch Chrome from the Start button (see the Windows icon on the bottom left of the screenshot below) to open a browser window and then go to Course Site (coursesite.lehigh.edu) and our course.

While still in Chrome within LUapps with AWS, go to any assignment in CS and click on the file you want to download as shown below. Please note that the file does NOT automatically download to your H: drive but into the Downloads folder typically. You will need to copy the file from the Downloads folder into your H: drive.

Go to the downloaded file on the bottom left of your screen. Click on the up arrow next to it and select Show in folder. You will notice the file is in the Downloads folder. Copy the file and paste it into your H: drive.

Now open the file ONLY from the H: drive to start working on it. As you now save your work, it will save to your H: drive.

REMINDER: It is absolutely CRUCIAL to save your file to the H: drive BEFORE beginning your work. Any LOCALLY STORED DATA (C: drive, desktop, downloads folder etc.) WILL NOT BE SAVED as you’re on a virtual machine.

If you have any difficulty, the fastest way to get assistance is to submit a help ticket at https://www.lehigh.edu/help. You can also call the Lehigh Helpdesk (610.758.HELP) for assistance.